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      Scottish stadium hosted 1st TV game under floodlights & still has a football feel, 20 years after Morrisons moved in

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      FALKIRK’S old Brockville Park used to have a kitchen window looking straight out onto the terracing.Now it has a whole aisle full of kitchen essentials.
      The home came with a free view of the Brockville action
      The historic ground made history in the 1950sCredit: SNS
      Now though a supermarket sits on site
      The Bairns’ old home is no more and was replaced by a supermarket two decades ago.
      Where teams used to park the bus and defend their box, shoppers now park the car and fill their bags.
      But there is no forgetting just where they are with relics of the historic stadium of old still on show outside the town centre Morrisons superstore.
      A cast-iron turnstile is planted permanently outside the front door as testimony to the football folklore that went on before.

      On that town centre site was the first televised night-time game under floodlights when the Bairns hosted Newcastle in a friendly some 70 years ago.
      Their rickety old ground hosted the great and the good of the Scottish game before the club eventually moved out to the Falkirk Stadium.
      But from the Lisbon Lions to greats like Gazza, Laudrup and McCoist – plus Sir Alex Ferguson and many more in between, the hostile and claustrophobic Brockville welcomed them all.
      But Brockville, for all its historic significance, also worked against Falkirk.
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      The Bairns were denied promotion to the SPL on account of their home not having the required 10,000 seats.
      A ground-sharing bid with Airdrie was denied which spared Aberdeen and Motherwell from relegation in 2000 and 2003 withj the Bairns barred from the top flight.
      That forced the club’s hand after financial troubles in the late 1990s and they moved to a purpose-built ground on the Grangemouth edge of town, spending a year at nearby Stenhousemuir in between.
      Fans were able to buy up various memorabilia at a club auction with the dugouts, turf, street signs and folding wooden seats from the stand all up for grabs.
      Fans grabbed memorabilia before the ground was shut down forever
      Bulldozers moved in around 2003
      The old turnstile stands as testament to a time passed
      And while they left a turnstile and team pic for the new supermarket, the club took their own memento – the ‘Brockville Gate’ is still on display at the mouth of the tunnel of their new ground pre-match before every home game – just as it was ‘back home’ at Brockville.
      The final game saw emotional scenes when current Dundee assistant Stuart Taylor scored the final goal against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
      The bulldozers moved in and so did the supermarket and changed the face of the site that had hosted football since the Victorian era.
      However with the old turnstile and various other nods to the games it hosted the legend of Falkirk lives on as visitors do their Saturday afternoon shopping.
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      Where Chelsea and Hibs came to buy club legend ‘Crunchie’ Kevin McAllister – the bars he’s nicknamed after are on sale at the tills.
      Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page More

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      Watch the moment Celtic keeper Joe Hart sent off v Livingston as Hoops veteran gets first red card of career – aged 36

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      CELTIC goalkeeper Joe Hart was shown a straight red card against Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Arena.With almost half an hour played and with his side 1-0 up courtesy of a Reo Hatate penalty, the Hoops No1 came rushing out of his box to challenge Mohammed Sangare who latched onto a long ball from the Livi defence.
      John Beaton shows the red card to Hart
      But the midfielder got there first and the English shot stopper came clashing into him.
      As the challenge took place outside the box and denied a goal scoring opportunity, with Hart the last line of defence, referee John Beaton was forced to give the keeper his marching orders.
      Surprise inclusion in Brendan Rodgers’ side James Forrest made way for sub goalie Scott Bain who took the gloves for the remainder of the match, leaving the Scottish Premiership champions to play with ten men for over an hour of the match.
      It’s the first dismissal of Hart’s 20-year career.

      It’s also the latest disappointment for him, whose ability as No1 has been questioned by Celtic fans.
      🟥 “Hart commits and doesn’t get there… It’s the correct decision!”Celtic are down to ten men as Joe Hart is 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛𝙛 after a late challenge on Sangare! Watch the match live on Sky Sports now! 📺👇 pic.twitter.com/qj6KeYFROt— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) September 23, 2023

      The red card follows questions over his performance against Feyernoord on Tuesday night where he was too easily beaten by a free kick from distance, despite also saving a penalty.
      Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm saw red in that match, making it an unfortunate hattrick of ordering offs for the Celts in the space of five days.
      Addressing criticism of his performances of late, Hart said in midweek: “I’ve got respect for the football world. But there are very few people out there whose opinions really matter.
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      “After speaking to Stevie Woods and Brendan Rodgers, I know what I’ve got to offer. I offer everything I’ve got.
      “If it’s not good enough for someone, that’s life, so be it.
      “It hasn’t been good enough before, but it often has.
      “I know from my past as a goalkeeper I’m by no means perfect.
      “If people want to angle in on something specific, they can.
      “But I’ve been around a long time and if you want to make an argument about why I should be in goal, there’s plenty of those too.”
      The dismissal in West Lothian means the 36-year-old will miss next week’s clash with Motherwell at Fir Park.
      Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page More

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      I used to sell BINS and didn’t turn pro till I was 25 – now I plan to dump Celtic and Rangers in the space of four days

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      LIVINGSTON new boy Danny Lloyd sold BINS before he made it as a pro.But there won’t be any trash-talk from him when it comes to the Lions and Scottish football.
      Danny Lloyd didn’t turn pro until he turned 25Credit: SNS
      The 31-year-old joined the West Lothian side at the end of August on a short-term deal.
      And after years of lower league football in England he can’t wait to get going here.
      Lloyd, who will aim to stop champions Celtic tomorrow, said: “I was a regional account business manager in the north-west and I loved it.
      “It was a great job and was a good company to work for.

      “I was sent on my way with blessings to play full-time football, and I keep in touch with a lot of my old colleagues.
      “I look back on that time with good memories.
      “I actually spent two weeks in Edinburgh on a big drive for sales, so I had a little experience of Scotland.
      “Chatting with my agent, we always thought that my sort of profile would be suited to the Scottish game.
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      “I’m robust and very fit. It’s a unique league with the gulf between top and bottom.
      “And you’re going to be presented with completely different challenges within the space of a week.
      “This week we’ve got Celtic at home, then Rangers away in front of 50,000, which will be an incredible occasion.
      “I’m lucky to have the opportunity, but you have to remove that emotion and put your professional head on.
      “I’m massively thankful but I’ve fought tooth and nail for this.
      “I’m 31 with a chance to now play in a top league in Europe.
      “I think I’ve done OK and I’m happy with the way it’s gone. I graft every single day and I’m thankful to be a professional footballer.”
      Lloyd was without a club this summer having left Rochdale at the end of last season.
      The attacker happened to be on a coaching course with Livi new boy Kurtis Guthrie.
      And he offered to put a word into David Martindale, who offered him a few days trial and then a deal.
      Lloyd added: “I had a couple of offers that were in the right location and financially viable for my family in order for me to be full-time.
      “Kurtis said he’d speak to the gaffer and I thought nothing of it. But two hours later he was on the phone asking if I wanted to come in the next day!
      “I did a few days training and Cristian Montano picked up an injury which helped my cause.”
      Lloyd has a busload of family members coming up for today’s clash against the Hoops.
      And he admits that no one will be more proud than grandad George if he faces Brendan Rodgers’ men.
      He said: “He’s a diamond of a man. A proper, honest family man. What he did for me and my career — you would never be able to put a value on it.
      “He took me everywhere all over the country when I was a kid. In my younger life, his life was just total dedication. For me to end up where I am, he’s absolutely over the moon.
      “There’s about 14 people coming on Saturday!
      “I’m very well supported on my side and my fiancee’s side.
      “Her auntie’s partner is a Celtic fan so they are buzzing to see someone from their family potentially play against their team.
      “I want my family to enjoy it because that’s what it’s all about.
      “But it will be time to go to work when I get on the pitch.
      “I don’t know what the gaffer’s plans are, but hopefully I get on the pitch in some capacity.
      “It will be great for them to see that, and for me too.
      “We’re going into it with a game plan to win — it’s a game of football.
      “The goalposts haven’t moved and the objective hasn’t changed.
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      “They are an incredible side with an amazing manager. But we’ve got to put our stamp on the game. Fingers crossed everything falls into place for us.”

      Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page  More

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      Rangers 1 Real Betis 0 – Light Blues kickstart Europa League campaign with Ibrox win as Sima goal turns jeers to cheers

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      MICHAEL BEALE needed a statement victory.Abdallah Sima delivered it on a night when Rangers turned the jeers to cheers.
      Rabbi Matondo had the best chance of the first halfCredit: PA
      Jack Butland was called into action on several occasionsCredit: Reuters
      Abdallah Sima scores after getting on the end of a scramble in the Betis boxCredit: Reuters
      Life, they say, begins at 40.
      How Beale – who reached that number of games in charge of Gers last night – must hope that rings true.
      Hounded up the tunnel on his last visit home, the embattled Ibrox boss took a huge step on the road to redemption against Real Betis.
      Away wins at Hearts and Hibs last season. Old Firm glory when only pride was at stake.

      It’s been nowhere near good enough.
      But backed into a corner, Beale has come out fighting – masterminding a first win for Rangers over Spanish opposition in 38 years.
      You can only admire the courage he’s shown these past few weeks. 
      In their last Europa League campaign, Gers made it all the way to the final in Seville.
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      On the eve of their latest adventure, Beale claimed his side were “expected” to reach the knockout stages.
      It was a bold statement given his early season woes.
      Just days after being embarrassed in Eindhoven – their Champions League dream ripped apart by PSV – his Rangers side fell four points behind Celtic in the title race.
      Factor in an opening day league defeat at Kilmarnock and Beale is a man with very little credit in the bank.
      He certainly doesn’t have his troubles to seek.
      Danilo, Todd Cantwell and Nico Raskin have all been ruled out until after the international break.
      Had they been fit, all three would surely have started this crucial Group C opener.
      As a result, Beale made four changes to his starting lineup, with Jose Cifuentes, Rabbi Matondo, Sima and Borna Barisic all in from the start.
      Betis left it late before declaring back-up keeper Claudio Bravo fit to face Gers.
      No.1 Rui Silva limped out of the 5-0 hammering against Barcelona at the weekend, with boss Pellegrini fearing he may have to field third choice Fran Vieites.
      With just five minutes gone, Pellegrini had 40-year-old Bravo to thank.
      Kemar Roofe split the Betis defence with a superb pass.
      Rabbi Matondo’s pace took him clear, but he couldn’t find the finish with Bravo getting down well to make the save.
      It was a massive chance – the only real one to speak of for Rangers in a first half largely dominated by the visitors.
      After that early scare, Betis took control of the ball with Isco at the centre of just about everything.
      As his influence on the game grew, so did the Spanish chances.
      With 20 minutes played Borja Iglesias slip a clever ball in behind the Rangers defence.
      Abdessamad Ezzalzouli showed James Tavernier a clean pair of heels, but his effort was well saved by Jack Butland.
      Matondo then inexplicably gave the ball away with Héctor Bellerín latching onto an Iglesias pass.
      He cut back inside Barisic, picking out Isco with the cross.
      You would have backed the former Real Madrid star to at least hit the target, instead he scooped high over the bar.
      On the half hour, Marc Roca picked out Ezzalzouli with another ridiculous pass.
      The winger had a clear sight of Butland’s goal, but he too sent a shot sailing high and wide.
      Four minutes later, the same player once again went close. Cifutenes was robbed of possession in the middle of the park with Betis moving through the gears quickly.
      But once more Ezzalzouli couldn’t hit the target and Gers survived another scare.
      Beale’s men simply couldn’t keep a hold of the ball. 
      Barisic, Tavernier, Matondo, Cifutenes and Lundstram were all guilty of giving it away.
      They did rally towards the end of the half, but other than the save from Matondo, Bravo had had little to do.
      Rangers needed to show more composure in the second half.
      They needed possession of the football.
      Betis hadn’t really been stretched defensively, yet you felt centre half Guido Rodríguez was there to be got at.
      And that’s exactly what Rangers did. On the front foot, they went on the attack.
      Sima got the ball rolling, doing well to pick out Matondo in a crowded Betis box.
      Matondo got his shot away, but Bellerin did just enough to put him off. 
      Moments later Lawrence burst forward, blasting inches past the post from 25 yards out.
      It was better from Rangers. Much more like it.
      Ibrox too was beginning to warm to the occasion.
      Thursday night’s under the lights are always a bit special in this part of the world. 
      Up until now, the home crowd had very little to cheer.
      With 55 minutes on the clock, Barisic almost raised the roof.
      Marc Barta clattered into Roofe right on the edge of the box. 
      Barisic took the free-kick, with Bravo having to tip his curling effort onto the bar.
      It was the closest either side had come to the opening goal.
      A quite sensational run from Matondo then carried Rangers up the length of the park and from the resultant corner Beale’s men snatched the lead.
      It was messy, it was a scramble, but not a single Gers fan inside Ibrox cared.
      Tavernier swung over the corner with sub Sam Lammers heading back across goal. 
      Roofe’s initial point blank effort was superbly saved by Bravo, but Connor Goldson was there to keep the ball alive.
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      As it bobbled around the six yard box, both Ben Davies and Sima went for it – the latter just getting there first.

      Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page  More

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      Celtic ‘Active Service Unit’ hooligans & Feyenoord ultras hold brutal fists-at-dawn brawl before Champions League clash

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      CELTIC hooligans boasted of holding an organised brawl with Feyenoord ultras ahead of tonight’s Champions League fixture.The Scottish and Dutch champions are set to face-off in their Group E opener at De Kuip in Rotterdam, Netherlands at 8pm.
      Celtic ‘Active Service Unit’ hooligans boasted of taking part an organised brawl with Feyenoord ultrasCredit: X
      Feyenoord fans have left threatening messages to Celtic ahead of their Champions League clashCredit: @casualultras/X
      Feyenoord Ultras hold up their ‘Zero Tolerance’ banner while posing with flags they claim they stole from Celtic supporters in RotterdamCredit: X
      But it is the hooligans and ultras of each club who claim to have already kicked off proceedings.
      With fights inside stadiums now thankfully a rarity, hooligans now look to organise meet-ups and battles in the wilderness and secret locations.
      And that appears to be the case this week for the hard nut supporters of Celtic and Feyenoord.
      An image uploaded to X, formerly Twitter, by an account dedicated to Scottish football culture showed seven men lined up in a field.
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      It was accompanied by the caption: “Arranged fight- Celtic Active Service Unit v Feyenoord, 7×7 50 seconds (win Feyenoord).”
      The men in the picture had all their faces blurred out but were wearing the same branded green tops, and some wear martial arts-style wrist bindings or gloves.
      The name “Active Service Unit” appears to be a reference to a notorious Provisional IRA a military cell who were tasked with carrying out armed attacks.
      The Glasgow club has strong links with Ireland and some supporters are known to sing controversial sectarian chants.
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      The social media post suggested the group of Celtic yobs lost their battle with the opposition.
      Feyenoord’s ultras have also been pictured in social media posts ahead of the game.
      One image details the threats of “Celtic not welcome” which have been spraypainted across the city ahead of the Scottish side’s visit.
      Images were uploaded of the ultras posing with flags and banners which they claimed to have have stolen from Celtic fans.
      They are also seen holding up their own banner, which reads: “Feyenoord Zero Tolerance.”
      Symbols of certain movements and groups, such as the LGBTQ flag and the Star of David, can be seen beneath and have been crossed out with red lines in a sickening act.
      With these organised fights kept strictly confidential, it is unknown whether there is any footage and the extent of the casualties.
      Both clubs have a history of hooliganism among a small group of supporters.
      A mob of Celtic fans were caught up in a street brawl with a group of Rangers hooligans before the two sides went head-to-head in the Scottish League Cup final in February.
      And last November, 40 Celtic fans were thrown off a train at Albacete for hooliganism ahead of their Champions League fixture against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
      Feyenoord’s ultras are also no strangers to hitting the headlines, having attacked a group of Union Berlin team officials ahead of a Europa Conference League game in October 2021.
      Victims included the German club’s President, Dirk Zingler, while a woman was hospitalised following the attack at a restaurant in Rotterdam.
      Elsewhere across Europe today, a Newcastle fan was stabbed three times as the Magpies prepare to face AC Milan at the San Siro.
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      Brit Eddie McKay, 58, was with his son when he was viciously attacked by seven or eight knife-wielding thugs wearing balaclavas around midnight.
      Around 5,000 Toon fans have travelled to Italy for the club’s first Champions League match in 20 years.
      Celtic’s hooligans took their ‘Active Service Unit’ name from the IRACredit: Getty
      Celtic mobs clashed with Rangers fans ahead of the Scottish League Cup final in February
      Feyenoord’s ultras attacked a group of Union Berlin team officials in October 2021Credit: Instagram
      Feyenoord thugs also clashed with Italian riot police in Rome in February 2015Credit: Getty More

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      Graham Potter REJECTS return to management with Rangers with ex-Chelsea boss holding out for another job

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      GRAHAM POTTER has turned down a return to management with Scottish side Rangers after being approached to replace under-fire Michael Beale.Rangers have lost two of their first four Scottish Premiership games, including an Old Firm derby, and were knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers thanks to a 5-1 second-leg thumping by PSV Eindhoven.
      Graham Potter has reportedly turned down the Rangers jobCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      That has led Rangers bosses to explore their options and an approach was made to Potter’s representatives.
      However, the former Chelsea and Brighton boss was not interested in discussing the job.
      Potter is relaxed and not keen to rush back into management, preferring to wait for the right job to come up.
      The ex-Swansea manager recently held talks with French club Lyon but decided against a move to the Ligue 1 side.
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      Lyon sit bottom of France’s top tier after picking up just one point from their opening four league games.
      Having been sacked by Chelsea in April, Potter is now keen to return to a Champions League level club or a role where there is clear potential to reach Europe’s top competition in the near future.

      He was approached by Leicester immediately after leaving Stamford Bridge.
      It came after the Foxes had axed Brendan Rodgers as they battled relegation.
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      But Potter deemed it too soon to return to the game as Leicester brought in Dean Smith, before they went down.
      Potter won just 12 of 31 games while in charge of Chelsea.
      But he remains a highly-respected coach following successful spells with Swedish side Ostersund, Swansea and Brighton. More

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      Axed Chelsea boss Graham Potter linked with another massive job after snubbing move to France

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      GRAHAM POTTER is on Rangers’ shortlist of potential replacements for Michael Beale.Gers boss Beale faces the chop after a 1-0 Old Firm defeat at home to Celtic last Sunday.
      Graham Potter is wanted by RangersCredit: Reuters
      Former Brighton boss Potter, 48, has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in April when he was 31 games into a five-year deal.
      He turned down a chance to return with French club Lyon and is on the radar of the Scottish giants, who trail league-leading Hoops by four points after four Premiership games.
      The Celtic loss came following a 7-3 aggregate defeat to PSV Eindhoven ended Gers’ Champions League qualification bid.
      Rangers have also been linked with Birmingham boss John Eustace if they lose patience with Beale.
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      Potter was wanted by Leicester in the summer but appears to be happy to bide his time before his next job.
      Potter picked up a huge pay-off following his sacking by Blues, which has allowed him some time out of the game.
      He has managed for the last 12 years after beginning his professional managerial career with Swedish minnows Ostersund.
      After impressing in a shock Europa League campaign, Potter got a move back to England with Swansea and then Brighton.
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      But he struggled at Chelsea despite spending £330MILLION during the January transfer window.
      In fact, he won just 12 out of 31 games in charge and was subsequently sacked by Todd Boehly. More

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      Al-Ittihad ‘to leave record signing Jota out of squad with another high-profile incoming replacing him’

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      FORMER Celtic star Jota has been left out of Saudi side Al-Ittihad’s squad despite being the club’s record signing, according to reports.The winger, 24, only joined from Celtic for £25million in July.
      Jota has been axed from the Al-Ittihad squad, according to reportsCredit: Getty
      The signing looked to represent a major coup for Ittihad given that the winger is in the prime of his career.
      He scored 15 goals and assisted 12 times during a fine 2022-23 season under Ange Postecoglou at Celtic Park.
      However, Al Riyadh sports journalist Hattan Al Najjar reports that Jota has now been jettisoned from Al-Ittihad’s Saudi Premier League squad.
      Al Najjar wrote: “Jota will be excluded from the list of [Al Ittihad] professionals in the league, according to the new system.”
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      Jota has cut a peripheral figure since joining the Saudi side, playing just 133 minutes across five matches and scoring one goal.
      Jota looked to be a statement signing for Al-Ittihad after arriving alongside Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante.
      But Saudi sides are limited by the league in how many foreign players they can register and it looks like Jota has not made the cut.
      That’s because his new club want to accommodate another new signing,defender Luiz Felipe from Real Betis, who cost a reported £18.8m.
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      Al-Ittihad were heavily also linked with a move for Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, with SunSport revealing the Saudi side were prepared to bid up to £215m.
      But, Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp held firm in their desire to hold onto the Egyptian superstar.
      It is likely Al-Ittihad will return with another bid in January.
      Al-Ittihad sit third in the Saudi Pro League table, with four wins and defeat from five games.
      Their next fixture will be against Al-Akhdoud on September 14. More